The "melody" could be found in the chords underlying it. If you are singing/playing a phrase over a C Major chord, (in the key of C) the natural melody would contain the notes in that diatonic chord. Moving to another diatonic chord in the scale would change the notes in a "natural" melodic phrase. This assumes you are drawing out the melody from the progression and without giving all credence to Key.

I think what Mario was talking about is that Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do does not a melody make (except when it does).

In reality, a melody "found" this way is not bound to the notes contained in the diatonic chord. To be "natural" it would contain only notes in the scale. The notes of the melody MAY be said, instead, to form a new chord--it doesn't so much matter if the chording instrument is playing a C maj...the addition of another note may change the chord. It depends on the note.

"Naturally" you limit those "added" notes to a note found in the C scale, but that's not "necessary" either. That's why there are "accidentals" in sheet music.

In the end, what matters is 1. Is it musical. 2. Is it "pleasing". 3. If it's not musical and/or pleasing, is it "not" for a musical reason.

Theory exists to explain what you did. Different "theorists" may even have different ways of explaining what you did. Knowing some theory helps to make more informed choices. Knowing the diatonic chords in a given key (even though I still have to look up most of them) makes "writing" SOOOO much easier than guessing what chord might come next. But it doesn't limit my chord choices. Instead, it even broadens them when I know a bit more about borrowed chords and other modes and scales.

Of course, there's another way "melody" may be found...and that's all by itself. Then the choices of any chordal or line harmonies are maybe even more informed by a knowledge of theory. Writing a progression to underpin an existing melody is a somewhat different animal than sussing out a melody from a chord progression. Most of my "stuff" does some of both.

Last edited by Tangmo; 06/07/19 06:29 PM.
BIAB 2021 Audiophile. Windows 10 64bit. Songwriter, lyricist, composer(?) loving all styles. Some pre-BIAB music from Farfetched Tangmo Band's first CD. https://alonetone.com/tangmo/playlists/close-to-the-ground